OSHA Inspection: NAZARETH PALLET COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Jun 18, 2018

Abate by

Mar 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,068 · Current $5,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1): Employees were subjected to sound levels which exceeded those listed in table G-16, feasible administrative or engineering controls were not utilized:    a.)  Pallet Dis-Assembly Area - On or about March 27, 2018, Employees, who were operating the Pallet Dismantler were exposed to continuous noise at 578.% of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an eight hour time weighted average (TWA) noise exposure of 102.6 dBA. This exposure was observed occurring over a 444 minute sampling period on 3/27/18. A zero exposure was assumed for the 36 minutes not sampled.       b.)  Pallet Dis-Assembly Area - On or about March 27, 2018, Employees, who were operating the Pallet Dismantler were exposed to continuous noise at 433 % of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an eight hour time weighted average (TWA) noise exposure of 100.5 dBA. This exposure was observed occurring over a 448 minute sampling period on 3/27/18. A zero exposure was assumed for the 32 minutes not sampled.       c.)  Pallet Dis-Assembly Area - On or about March 27, 2018, Employees, who were operating the saw cutting pallets to size were exposed to continuous noise at 318% of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an eight hour time weighted average (TWA) noise exposure of 98.4 dBA. This exposure was observed occurring over a 441 minute sampling period on 3/27/18. A zero exposure was assumed for the 39 minutes not sampled.       Feasible abatement actions include but are not limited to:    1. Limit the amount of time that employees can work in the Pallet assembly and dis-assembly areas during any one work period.    2. Move the conveyor in Pallet dis-assembly which transfers the wood from the saw to the turntable and run it through a wall into a separate low noise area and relocate the turntable into that area.      ABATEMENT NORMALLY WILL BE MULTISTEP AS FOLLOWS:       Step 1:  SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN, DETAILED PLAN OF ABATEMENR OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES TO CONTROL EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AS REFERENCED IN THIS CITATION.  THIS PLAN SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, TARGET DATES FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS WHICH MUST BE CONSISTANT WITH THE ABATEMENT DATES REQUIRED BY THIS CITATION:      (1)    EVALUATION OF ENGINEERING/ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OPTIONS;      (2)     SELECTION OF OPTIUM CONTROL METHODS AND COMPLETION OF DESIGN;      (3)    PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF SELECTED CONTROL MEASURES; AND       (4)    TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE OR MODIFICATION/REDESIGN OF CONTROLS.      NOTE:   ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE APPROVED FOR EACH PARTICULAR USE BY AN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST OR OTHER TECHNICALLY QUALIFIED PERSON.    THIRTY- (30) DAY PROGRESS REPORTS ARE REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD.  (THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT CAN BE SHORTENED OR LENGTHENED BY THE AREA DIRECTOR DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.)      Step2:  ABATEMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FEASIBLE ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS UPON THE VERIFICATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE.

Issued

Jun 18, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

9 CFR 1910.95(h)(4): Audiometric examinations were not administered in a room meeting the requirements listed in Appendix D: Audiometric Test Rooms:  a)  Establishment - On or about February 28, 2018, The employer did not use a device which met the American National Standards Specifications for Sound Level meters  to ensure background  sound pressure levels did not exceed sound pressure levels in table  D-1.